BC-VIRUS OUTBREAK-GLOBAL

As US grapples with virus, Florida hits record case increase

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — With the United States grappling with the worst coronavirus outbreak in the world, Florida hit a grim milestone Sunday, shattering the national record for a state’s largest single-day increase in positive coronavirus cases. Meanwhile, countries in Eastern Europe are facing rising waves of coronavirus infections, leading to riots in Serbia, mandatory face masks in Croatia and travel bans or quarantines imposed by Hungary. The new restrictions come as the World Health Organization reports that daily global infections hit over 228,000 last week, and the U.S. confirmed over 66,600 new cases on Friday, another record.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-FLORIDA

Florida reports largest, single-day increase in COVID cases

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Florida on Sunday reported the largest single-day increase in positive coronavirus cases in any one state since the beginning of the pandemic. According to state Department of Health statistics released Sunday, 15,299 people tested positive, for a total of 269,811 cases. California had the previous record of daily positive cases — 11,694, four days ago. New York had 11,571 on April 15. The numbers come at the end of a grim, record-breaking week in Florida, with about 500 fatalities. On Sunday, 45 more deaths were reported. Throughout May and into June, the state reopened much of its economy with some restrictions.

AP-US-SCI-MARS-MISSIONS

Look out, Mars: Here we come with a fleet of spacecraft

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Mars is about to be invaded by planet Earth — big time. The U.S., China and the United Arab Emirates are sending spacecraft to Mars in quick succession beginning this week. It’s the most sweeping effort yet to seek signs of ancient microscopic life at Mars while scoping out the place for future astronauts. The most enticing rock samples will be collected by NASA for return to Earth in about a decade. The United Arab Emirates is up first with a Martian orbiter set to launch from Japan on Wednesday, local time. China is targeting a liftoff around July 23 for its rover and orbiter. The U.S., meanwhile, aims to launch its rover, Perseverance, on July 30.

ELECTION 2020-WATCH

2020 Watch: How many more Americans will die from COVID-19?

These are among the darkest days of President Donald Trump’s presidency. Coronavirus infections are exploding, the economic recovery is in jeopardy and Trump may have undermined his own “law and order” message by commuting the prison sentence of his friend and political adviser. Emboldened Democrats are trying to guard against overconfidence, even as they see real opportunities to expand Joe Biden’s path to the White House in states like Georgia, Iowa and Ohio. Meanwhile, there’s less time for Republicans to turn things around than they’d like. Early voting across several swing states is set to begin in little more than two months.

AP-US-ELECTION-2020-GOP-CONVENTION

It’s Trump’s call on what the GOP convention will look like

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is slowly coming to accept that the Republican National Convention won’t be the four-night infomercial for his reelection that he’d anticipated. Already the late August event has moved from North Carolina to Florida, and now coronavirus cases are spiking and there’s an economic recession. Trump aides and allies are increasingly questioning whether the convention will be worth the trouble. Some are advocating that it be scrapped altogether. They reason that conventions are meant to lay out a candidate’s vision for the coming four years, not spark months of intrigue over the health and safety those who attend. Ultimately, the call on whether to move forward will be Trump’s alone.

FLORIDA CHURCH ATTACK

Man charged in Florida church arson attack

OCALA, Fla. (AP) — A man accused of setting a Florida church on fire is being held without bail on charges that include attempted second-degree murder and arson. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office charged 23-year-old Steven Shields on Saturday, hours after detectives say he plowed a minivan through the front door of Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Ocala. They say he doused the foyer with gasoline and set it on fire, causing extensive damage. According to court documents, Shields told detectives he is mentally ill but had stopped taking his medication. The Marion County Public Defender’s Office was closed Sunday and not accepting phone messages.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-FLORIDA

Florida sets record week for coronavirus deaths

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — More Floridians died of coronavirus this week than in any other seven-day period. The state recorded nearly 500 deaths over the last seven days, an average of 71 per day. The worst week previously was in early May when the state average 60 deaths per day. Because of the economic shutdown, that rate dropped sharply and three weeks ago the death rate was 30. For two weeks it crept up before exploding the last three days. Since March 1, the state has reported more than 254,500 confirmed cases and about 4,300 deaths.

AP-US-VIRUS-OUTBREAK-DISNEY

Disney World reopens as coronavirus cases surge in Florida

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — “The Most Magical Place on Earth” has reopened after nearly four months with new rules in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom reopened Saturday, while Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios will follow four days later. All of Disney’s Orlando parks closed in mid-March in an effort to stop the virus’s spread. Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando closed around the same time but reopened several weeks ago after instituting similar rules to protect employees and customers from the virus. The reopening comes as a huge surge of Floridians have tested positive for the new coronavirus in recent weeks.

FLORIDA CHURCH ATTACK

Man sets fire in Florida church after plowing van inside

OCALA, Fla. (AP) — A Florida church sustained extensive damage when a driver plowed a van through the front door and then set the sanctuary on fire.  Authorities say no one was hurt in the Saturday morning attack on Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Ocala although some were inside setting up for mass. Marion County Sheriff’s Office said the man crashed a minivan through the front door and then threw some kind of incendiary device, causing a fire that resulted in extensive damage. The man drove off, but was stopped by deputies nearby. He was being questioned and no charges have yet been filed.

BC-VIRUS OUTBREAK

Coronavirus deaths take a long-expected turn for the worse

NEW YORK (AP) — The number of deaths per day from the coronavirus in the U.S. had been falling for months, and even remained down as some states saw explosions in cases. But now a long-expected upturn has begun, driven by fatalities in states in the South and West. Over the past two weeks, data shows daily reported deaths increased in 27 states. Researchers now expect deaths to rise for at least some weeks, but some think the count probably will not go up as dramatically as it did in the spring. Meanwhile, the number of New Yorkers hospitalized with the coronavirus has fallen to the lowest point since mid-March. And Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom are reopening Saturday.